Kathmandu, February 17:

Minister of State for Information and Communication Shrish Samsher Rana today accused the media of glorifying Maoist leaders and giving them the height they now accquire.

Rana was adderssing a meeting of editors and publishers, organised by the Federation of National Journailists Nepal (FENAJ).

“Had the media protrayed Maoists like Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai in a proper way from the beginning, the country would not have been in this present state,” he said.He said the country would not have to see “mismanagement” had the journalists played their role sincerely. He also accused the media of letting the state “hang on” the string of Artcile 127 of the Constitution.

Rana further said the communication act is being amended as it is “evident that the current act is incomplete.”

“Journalists themselves are amending the communication act. What else do you expect?” he said, adding that he would get copies of media acts from abroad and prepare Nepal’s act on their basis.

He further said that journalist leaders, who were demanding the Press Council be dissolved, are saying these days that they would protest upon hearing that the Press Council will be scrapped and a Media Council formed.

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Kathmandu district branch, had voiced against the Press Council, accusing it of unfair newspaper classification.

“It has been two months since I became a minister, but I have not seen those leaders, lobbying for press freedom, coming to me to discuss professional issues,” he said.

He added that they accuse people who talk of professional journalism of “doing politics”.

He also said that the political parties are claiming to have bound the king in the constitution, but “they themselves are acting above the constitution.”